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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


73  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions 


Insticut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


1980 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibllographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


Q 


D 


D 
D 
D 
D 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommag^e 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurAe  et/ou  pellicul6e 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


D 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  giographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  ther  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  ot/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Rell6  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serr6e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  inttrieure 

Blank  leaves  added  du^^ng  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajout6es 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  Atait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  M  filmAes. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl^mentaires; 


L'institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exigar  une 
modification  dans  la  methods  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquis  ci-dessous. 


1 
t( 


r     I   Coloured  pages/ 


Pages  da  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag^es 

Pages  restored  and/oi 

Pages  restaurdes  et/ou  pellicul6es 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxei 
Pages  d6color6es,  tachet6es  ou  piqu6es 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  d6tach6es 

Showthroughy 
Transparence 


I      I    Pages  damaged/ 

I      I    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 

r~7|    Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 

I      I    Pages  detached/ 

I      I    Showthrough/ 


I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 


Quality  indgale  de  i'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplimentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


D 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  hv  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  rsfiimed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  At6  filmAes  A  nouveau  de  fa9on  A 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


7 

P 

0 

fi 


C 
b 

tl 

SI 

o 
fi 

si 
o 


Tl 
si 

Tl 

IV 
di 
ei 
bi 

"I 
re 
m 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu*  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


tails 
du 

adifier 
une 
nage 


rata 


elure. 


3 


t2X 


The  copy  filmad  hara  has  baan  raproducad  thanks 
to  tha  ganarosity  of: 


Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 


Tha  imagas  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  bast  quality 
possibia  considaring  tha  condition  and  lagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  tr  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spaciff..ation8. 


Original  copias  in  printad  papar  covars  ara  filmad 
baglnning  with  tha  front  covar  and  ending  on 
tha  last  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impras- 
sion,  or  tha  back  covar  whan  appropriate.  All 
othar  original  copias  ara  filmad  beginning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  -^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frame;:,  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


1 

2 

3 

L'exemplaira  filmA  fut  reproduit  grice  A  la 
g*n6rositA  da: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Cnlumbiii 

Las  imagas  suivantas  ont  At4  raproduites  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin,  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattetA  da  raxamplaire  filmA,  et  en 
conformity  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  da 
filmaga. 

Les  exemplairas  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimAa  sont  filmAs  an  commandant 
par  la  premier  plat  at  an  tarminant  soit  par  la 
darniire  paga  qui  comporta  una  emprainte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration.  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  las  autras  axamplaires 
originaux  sont  film6s  en  commenpant  par  la 
premiAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
darnidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  — ^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 

Las  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
filmAs  A  des  taux  da  reduction  diff^rants. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  film«  A  partir 
da  Tangle  supdrieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  an  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n^cessaira.  Las  diagrammas  suivants 
illustrent  la  m^tnode. 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

Utx)p 


'*.  A//'^'^ 


it 


V 


»<^p.  ^^S,,^'L 


GEOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 


!{ 


UPON 


RUSSIAN  AMERICA 


AND 


THE  STICKEEN  RIVER, 


BKING 


JA  REPORT  ADDREHSEP  TO  THE  HON.  W.  H.  SEWARD, 
SECRETARY  OF  STATE, 


BY     WII,  L.IAM     P.    B  LAKE. 


WITH  A  HAP  OF  THE  STICKEEN  &IVXB. 


2^<  ?-f 


A,  In 

'*r 


Q-r7' 


WASHINGTON: 


OOVKRNMBNX  PRINTING  OFFICE 
1868. 


r«r9w#«^ivw^»wwwwwv»V^ 


PV 


40TH  Co\(3RKs^,  (    HOUSE  OF  REPRESEXTATIVKS. 
2d  Session.       ) 


Ex.  Doc.  177, 
Part  2. 


\ 


Rl'SSlAX  AMERICA. 


M  E  S  S  A  ( }  E 


I-KOSI  Tiir. 


PRESIDENT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES, 


IN    AXSW  i:it    TO 


A    rcsofi/tiij/i  of  tin:  IloiiM'  of   11)///.   Dic.f7nhcr  lanf,  'allitig    for    information 

rclalirc  to  llv.ssian  America. 


Ai'Ril.  21,  IsiW — Kilpiii  il  to  tin-  ('oniinittio  on  Foreign  AiVtiirs  and  oidi'ird  to  bo  printed. 


I 


I 


To  the  House  of  Representatives  : 

In  furtlmr  reply  to  the  ri'ssolutioii  adoptt'd  by  tin;  House  of  Roprcsentiitives 
on  tlio  lOtli  of  Dccombt'i",  18G7,  calling  fur  eorrcspoudiaco  and  iiiformation  in 
ndation  to  Russian  Amorica,  I  iran-xniit  a  report  from  tin;  Secretary  of  State  and 
ihe  papers  wliieli  accompanied  it. 

ANDRKW  JOHNSON. 

WASlilX(iT(»i\,  April  2.  J 808. 


l)i;i'AI«TiMlv\T  Olf  StATK, 

Washinsiton,  April  2,  18GS. 
Till'  Secretary^  of  State,  leJiTiiiig  to  his  report  of  the  I7tli  of  February 
last,  placing;  before  the  President  a  copy  of  the  correspondence  called  for  by  the 
resolution  of  the  House  of  Rcpreseiitatives  of  the  I9th  of  December,  1SG7,  in 
relation  to  Kussi.in  America,  has  the  honor  lo  lay  before  the  I'resident,  as  sup- 
plemental to  thai  report,  the  accompanying  notes  upon  thai  subject,  and  a  map 
of  the  Stickeen  river,  by  i'rofcssor  W.  P.  Hlake,  of  California. 
Respectfully  Bulimitted  : 

WILLIA.\I   II    SKWARI). 

Th(!]*BK.'Sll>KNT. 


WAsiilNtriox,  March,  18(58. 
the  expiration  of  my  engagement  with  the  Tycoon's  government  in 
Japan,   T  reci-ived    permission   from   the   coinmodove  of   his  imperial  Russian 
Map-sty's  s(|uadroii,  in  tlu!  north  Pacific,  to  accompany  Commander  liassarguiue, 
of  tho  corvetti^  Rynda,  to  Russian  Anwrica. 

We  left  HaUodadi  on  the  22i\  of  April,  1SGI5,  and  were  y'i  days  under  sail 
crossing  to  Sitka,  arriving  there  on  the  l-ith  day  of  May. 

J  U'  i   iJ  J  ,,  «'• 


2 


RUSSIAN   AMERICA. 


During  my  slay  tlieni  I  received  rmicli  attention  (Vom  the  governor  aril  otlicr 
officialii,  and  gathered  some  general  and  special  information  upon  the  nature  and 
resources  of  the  country,  whicii  I  have  embodied  in  the  following  pages. 

Fnim  Sitka  the  corvette  eaih-d  to  ihe  mouth  of  the  Stickeen  river,  and  a  sur- 
vey of  ihe  h)wer  jiortion  of  this  (stream  was  made  by  the  Russian  nflicers. 
^I'hree  parties  were  titled  out :  one  to  make  soundings  and  a  map  of  the  estuary  ; 
one  to  8urv(^y  and  sound  the  channel  for  some  .'JO  miles  up,  (probably  to  the 
supposed  boundary ;)  and  a  third  party  to  ascend  the  river  as  far  as  possible  in 
the  two  weeks  allowed  for  explomtions. 

As  this  river  had  not  be  'u  ascended  by  anv  exploring  party,  and  the  nature 
of  the  country  ahmg  it,  a  id  even  the  course  oi  the  river  was  unknown  to  geog- 
rajihers,  I  accepted  an  i  ivitation  to  join  the  expedition.  The  results  of  ihy 
observations,  tegether  with  my  journal  and  a  sketch-map  of  the  stream,  are 
appended. 

1  have  th(!  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

AVILLIAM  P.  ULAKE. 

Hon.  WiLi.iA.M  II.  Skwaim), 

iiicr clary  of  State,  IVasIiington. 


NOTKS  UrON  THKGKOGKArilYANl)  GKOLOGY  OF  Kt'SSIAN  AMEKIC.A  AND 
THK  iSTICKEKN  JilVLH,  FROM   OH^KRVA'I  lOKS  MADE  1\  IHGX 


TIIK  <  OAST  OF  ALA.SKA  l.\  THK  VICIMTV  Ol-  islTKA. 

On  approaching  the  northwest  coast  of  America  from  the  Pacilic  the  moun- 
tain chains  of  the  interior  are  seen  to  be  lofty  and  Alpine  in  character.  The 
ridpes  are  sharjjly  serrated  and  rise  into  needle-like  pinnacles,  giving  an  outlini 
against  the  t-ky  that  contrasts  strongly  with  the  gently-shtping  sides  of  th-.  ruii- 
cated  cone  of  Eilgecombe,  a  fine,  extinct  volcano  which  marks  the  entrain.i!  to 
the  harbor  of  Siika.  This  mountain  and  the  ranges  along  the  coast  are  den?(-dy 
wooded  with  pines,  tirs,  and  spruce,  but  the  upper  portions  or  summiis  are  wiih- 
out  v(  gelation,  being  shrouded  in  snow.  This  often  appears  to  be  in  immeii.-  e 
drifts  and  overhanging  masses  upon  the  crests  of  the  range.  In  the  winter  an(,' 
as  late  as  May  this  snow  stretches  far  down  the  sides  of  Edgecombe  and  buries 
the  upper  portions  of  the  forest  from  sight,  or  leaves  only  the  tops  of  the  tall 
spruces  protruding  from  the  snow,  like  little  shrubs. 

Some  of  the  principal  valleys  of  the  mountain  range  of  the  mainland  are 
filled  with  magnificent  glacieis,  rivalling  those  of  tlie  Alps.  No  glaciers  are 
fo.und  upon  the  coast  at  tsitka,  or  south  of  it,  for  under  the  influenc<!  of  the  warm 
currents  of  the  Pacific  the  climate  is  comparatively  mild,  whih-  a  short  distance 
in  the  interior,  beyond  the  influence  of  the  warm  currents,  the  climate  is  more 
severe,  and  the  winters  and  summers  are  strongly  marked. 

The  topograjdiy  of  the  interior  opposite  Sitka  has  been  almost  unknown. 
The  Siickten  river,  for  exiimple,  (known  also  as  the  Frances  river,)  is  usually 
n presented  as  running  nearly  east  and  west,  and  as  heading  far  to  tl 
its  mouth.  This  is  erroneous ;  it  rises  to  the  northward  and  easl^ 
mouth,  and  its  general  course  is  nortbwest  and  southeast,  or  parall 
coast.  The  interior  appears  to  be  broken  into  a  succession  of  sliar| 
mountain  ranges  separated  by  narrow  and  deep  valleys,  similar  to  \\ioi 
the  islands  of  the  coast.  In  fact,  the  topography  of  the  archipelago  is  alype  of 
that  in  the  interior.  A  submergence  of  tin;  mountain  region  of  the  maiidand 
would  give  a  similar  succession  <»f  islaiuls  sepmated  by  deep  and  narrow  fiords. 

Itappears  from  the  testimony  of  minerswho  have  penetrat(!d  far  into  the  interior 
in  eearcli  of  gold,  that  there  is  n  broad  plain  stretching  northwest  and  southeast, 
whic    t-epnrates  the  mountainous  zone  of  the  coast  from  a  lofty  range,  called  by 


RUSSIAN   AMEJIICA.  3 

tlicm  the  "  Blue  mountainf«,"  This  is  at  the  head  waters  of  tlie  Stickccn  and 
oilier  Hln-ams  tliat  cut  tlirougli  the  narrow  strip  of  onr  recently  acquired  territory, 
and  it  is  probably  the  main  dividing  range  or  prolongation  of  the  Ilocky  moun- 
tains. 


I 


THB    MIM'.KAI,    KKSOl'R(K«   OK    ALASKA. 

The  principal  mineral  wealth  of  Alaska,  so  far  as  it  is  at  present  known,  con- 
eist.''  chiefly  in  coal,  copper,  and  gold. 

Coal. — (joal  beds  have  been  worked  by  the  Russians  at  several  points,  but 
chii'Hy  at  K(;nnai,  on  Cook's  inlet.  The  quality,  however,  is  not  equal  to  that 
of  the  cohI  from  Naiiiiimo,  on  Vancouver's  island,  to  the  southward. 

It  is  here  ini  ortant  to  note  that  the  many  islands  along  the  northwest  coast, 
from  Vancouver's  noi  thward,  are  not  formed  of  volcanic  rocks,  as  is  generally 
supposed  and  stated  by  Kome  writers,  but  that  they  consist  of  stratified  forma- 
tiiMis,  cliielly  sandstones  and  shales,  which  are  favorable  to  the  existence  of  coal- 
beds,  indications  of  which  have  been  found  at  various  points. 

It  is  probable  that  the  formations  of  Daranoff  or  Sitka  island,  and  of  Princo 
of  Wales  island,  indeed  of  ail  the  islands  of  that  extensive  archipelago,  are 
equiv  ilents  in  age  of  coal-bearing  strata  of  Vancouver's  island  and  Queen 
Chai  lot'e's  island.  On  the  latter  the  existence  of  beds  of  a  very  superior  quality 
of  (iHtfiracilc  ro'tl  has  lately  been  made  known,  and  samples  of  it  have  been  tested 
in  San  Francisco  with  satisfactory  results.  The  extent  and  value  of  these  beds 
have  no^  been  ascertained,  but  their  existence  is  a  most  significant  fact,  and 
suggests  that  a  continuation  of  them  may  be  found  in  the  prolongation  of  the  same 
formation  in  the  islands  to  the  northward,  within  the  limits  of  the  recently  acquired 
territory. 

The  points  at  which  I  made  an  examination  of  the  stratified  rock  formations 
were  at  Sitka  and  the  adjoining  islands,  and  at  the  mouth  of  the  Stickeen  river. 
At  these  places  they  consist  of  sandstones  and  shales  regularly  stratified,  and 
passing  in  some  places  into  hard  slates  which  project  along  the  shores  in  thin 
kni'<'-like  reefs.  All  these  strata  are  iipl  fted  at  high  angles,  and  they  give  the 
peculiar  saw  like  appearance  to  the  crests  of  the  ridges.  Some  of  the  outcrops 
are  so  sharp  th  it  they  have  been  used  by  the  savage  Kr>loshes  as  aiws,  over 
which  their  unfortunate  captives  were  dragged  back  and  forth  until  their  heads 
were  severed  nom  their  bodies. 

Coal  has  been  noted  upon  the  island  of  Ounga,  on  the  west  side  of  Takharoos- 
kai  bay,  in  two  places.  The  beds  are  horizontal,  and  are  probably  lignite. 
Vancou'er  noted  coal  on  Cook's  inlet.  The  miners  who  worked  for  gold  upon 
the  upper  part  of  the  Stickeen  river  in  1S62-'G3,  reported  coal  as  existing  there, 
but  no  satisfactory  description  of  it  has  been  obtained.  Coal  of  superior  quality, 
in  broken  and  drifted  specimens,  has  recently  been  found  by  my  brother,  Mr. 
Theodore  A  Blake,  geologist  of  the  Alaska  expedition  of  1867,  along  the  couriie 
of  a  small  stream  which  empties  into  St.  John's  bay,  north  of  Sitka.  The  beds 
could  not  be  found,  and  their  extent  is  consequently  unknown.  * 

It  is  surprising  that  during  the  I  ing  occupation  of  the  northwest  coast  by  the 
Ilussiantf.little  or  no  attention  was  given  to  explorations  of  the  interior.  Even  the 
islani.  of  Sitka  has  not  been  explored. 

C^per —\i  has  long  been  known  that  large  massesof  native  copper  are  found 
along  Copper  river,  whicli  fiows  into  the  Pacific  between  Mount  St.  Elias  and 
the  peninsula  of  KcMUiai.  Some  of  these  masses,  shown  to  me  by  his  excellency 
jl  GovirniM-  Fourihelm,  at  Sitka,  very  closely  re;^emblod  the  specimens  formerly 
picked  up  on  the  sliores  of  Lake  Superior.  From  all  the  information  wliich  1 
received,  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  a  copper-bearing  region,  similar  to  that 


'  Uuports  on  Kussiuu  Aiuoricn,  Ex.  Doc.  No.  177,  40th  Congress,  2cl  sossioa,  p.  320. 


4 


RUSSIAN    AMERICA. 


of  Lake  Superior,  cxiftH  ill  llin  interior.  It  is  interefting  that  large  maf!?ej«  of 
native  copper  liave  recently  been  fount!  in  norllieru  Siberia.  A  large  macs  was 
exbibited  at  Paris,  in  the  Exliibilion,  from  tbe  Kirgbese  steppes.  It  contained 
native  .eilver,  in  isolated  masses,  identical  in  its  appearance  and  its  association 
.  witb  tbe  singular  masses  of  Lake  Superior.  Native  copper,  associated  witb 
eilver,  tbus  appears  to  be  a  cbaracteristic  mineral  of  tbe  nortliern  regions  of  botb 
continents. 

Gold. — Tbe  stratified  formations  of  tbe  arcbipelagos  along  tbe  coast  arc  not 
favoiablc  to  tbe  existence  of  gold-bearing  veins,  for  tbe  metamorpbosiiig  agencies 
wbieb  usually  accompany  tbe  formation  of  mineral  veins  do  not  appear  to  bave 
acted  upon  tbe  rocks  with  sufficient  strengtb.  East  of  tbe  islands,  bowever,  and 
in  tbe  first  range  of  mountains  of  tbe  mainland,  tbe  conditions  are  different.  Tbe 
rocks  are  cbniigi  d  into  mica  slate,  gneiss  and  granite,  and  are  traversed  by  quart/, 
veins  wbicb  are  piesunu-d  to  be  gold  bearing.  However  tbis  may  be,  it  is  certain 
tbat  extensive  sources  of  gold  exist  in  tbe  interior,  for  tbe  suuds  of  tbo  gtream^ 
that  descend  to  tbe  coast  all  contain  gold. 

Gold  bns  for  many  years  been  known  to  exist  upon  tbe  Stickeen,  tbe  Takou, 
and  tbe  Nal*s  rivers.  It  bns  since  been  reported  from  many  otber  places  widely 
separated.  Upon  tbe  Slickeeii  considerable  mining  bas  been  carried  on  by  botb 
United  States  and  Knglisb  miners  wbo  followed  tbe  gold-bearing  zon(?  from  Fra- 
zer's  river  nortbwaids.  It  is  to  tbese  miners  tbat  we  are  indebted  for  tbe  dis- 
covery of  tbe  metal  in  paying  quantities  upon  tbese  streams,  and  for  mucb  of  our 
geograpbical  knowledge  of  tbe  interior. 

Tberc  is  evefy  reason  to  believe  tbat  tbis  gold  region  of  tbe  interior  I'xtends 
along  tbe  moun  ains  to  tbe  sbores  of  tbe  icy  sea,  and  is  tbus  connected  witb  tbe 
gold  regions  of  Asia. 

At  the  time  of  my  visii  to  tbe  Stickeen  river,  in  18G3,  an  account  of  wbicb  is 
annexed,  there  was  conclusive  evidence  of  the  existence  of  a  gold  field  of  con- 
siderable extent  in  tbe  so-called  "  Blue  mountains,"  at  the  sources  of  tbe  rivers 
mciitioned.  It  is  probable  that  there  are  zones  of  gold-bearing  veins  in  those 
mountains  which  supply  the  gold  to  the  detritus  of  the  rivers.  Tbe  severe  cli- 
mate, wbicb  prevents  all  placer  or  deposit  mining,  where  water  is  used,  during 
the  winter  months,  would  not  materially  binder  vein  mining  operations  carried 
on  below  the  surface.  In  this  point  of  view  a  region  of  gold  veins  along  those 
mountains  has  great  prospective  importance.  The  Stickeen  river  and  other 
streams  cutting  through  to  the  coast  afford  tbe  most  direct  and  clujapest  routes 
to  that  region,  and  all  information  upon  them  has  an  immediate  practical  value. 
Some  observations  in  detail  upon  the  gold  deposits  along  the  Stickeen  will  be 
found  in  the  general  description  of  tbat  river. 

Platina  is  said  to  be  abundant  with  the  gold  of  the  north  fork  of  the  Stickeen. 


ICE.  , 

It  is  probable  that  tbe  ice  of  some  of  the  large  glaciers  wbicb  descend  from 
tbe  mountains  to  the  navigable  waters  of  the  coast  may  be  shipped  with  profit 
to  San  Francisco  and  other  pbices. 

Alihongli  tbe  ice  is  not  as  clear  and  transparent  as  tbat  taken  from  lakes  and 
ponds,  it  is  nevertheless  quite  firm  and  solid,  and  may  be  used  for  ordiuarji^Qr- 
poses.  Ice  of  this  character  can  be  obtained  from  the  end  of  the  second  glacior 
on  the  Stickeen  river. 

In  this  connection  the  following  notes  upon  the  occurrence  of  great  bodies  of 
ice,  undoubtedly  glaciers,  in  the  more  northern  parts  of  Russian  America,  have 
a  special  interest : 

According  to  Sir  Edward  Belcher*  the  shores  of  Icy  bay,  at  the  foot  of  Mount 


Voyage  of  the  Sulphur,  i,  78-80. 


RUSSIAN    AMKIIICA.  5 

►St.  Kliiic,  lilt.  GO-,  iirc!  lined  with  glaciors.  "Tlit!  wliolc  of  this  h;iy,  and  the 
viillfv  nhovR  it,  wa«  foniid  to  he  composted  of  (iipparoiitly)  siiow-icc,  about  30 
fct't  ill  licight  at  the  water  clift',  and  probably  ba^od  on  a  low  muddy  beacli." 
At  Cape  Hnekling,  in  tlio  sanio  latitude,  and  west  of  Icy  b.iy,  the  name  voyager 
observed  a  var»t  maps  of  ice  sloping  to  the  sea,  the  surface  of  which  presentefl 
a  most  singular  asped,  being  "one  mass  of  fo;:r-si>ied  trunc  ited  pyramids." 
He  was  not  able  to  account  for  this  and  observes,  "  What  could  product!  tiiese 
special  forms?  If  one  could  fancy  himself  perched  on  an  eminence  ab  )Ut  .500 
feet  a'  ove  a  city  of  snow-white  pyramidal  houses,  with  smoke-eobn-ed  fiat  roofs 
covering  many  s<|uare  miles  of  surface  and. rising  ridgri  above  ridge  in  steps,  he 
might  form  some  faint  idea  of  this  beautiful  freak  of  nature." 

Vast  bodies  of  ice  terminating  in  clili'-t  upon  the  sea  are  numerou'"  in  l^rince 
William  sound,  and  the  thundering  noise  of  the  falling  of  large  masses  of  ice 
was  heard  by  Vancouver  *  .  * 

On  the  shores  of  an  arm  of  Stephens's  past  age  (northwest  of  Sitka)  a  compact 
body  of  ice  extended  for  somi;  distance!  at  the  lime  of  Vancouver's  visit, 
and  from  the  nigged  valh-ys  in  the  mountains  around,  immense  bo(lie-<  of  ice 
reached  perpendicularly  to  the  sea,  so  that  boats  could  not  land.  Similar  obser- 
vations are  made,  in  gein'ial,  of  the  mountains  of  the  coast  opj)osit(!  Admiralty 
ii<laii().  Two  larg(!  open  bays  north  and  west  of  Point  Couverdeon  are  termi- 
nated by  solid  mountains  of  ice  rising  pttrijendicularly  from  the  water's  edge. 

From  these  various  observations  we  may  conclndi!  that  the  mountain  region 
of  Uiissian  and  Hritisli  North  America,  from  latita<le  ')■')'  to  the  Polar  sea,  is 
dotted  with  glaciers,  cutting  and  scoring  the  mountains  as  they  descend,  and 
push  iig  tlii'ir  accumulations  of  rocky  del)ris  either  into  tlie  ocean  or  the  rivers 
of  the  interior. 


r.KNKIlAL    KKSCHII'TIO.N'    (»F    THE    STKKEKX    IMVKR.  t 

Tli(!  principal  river  in  the  vicinity  of  Sitka  is  the  Stickeen,  which  rises  in 
the  nine  mountains,  opposite  the  head  waters  of  the  ^lacken/ie,  and  flows  in  a 
general  southeasterly  direction,  j)arallel  with  the,  coast,  until  k  breaks  through 
tlie  mountains  east  and  a  little  south  of  Sitka.  When  the  snows  are  melting 
the  river  becomes  much  swollen,  and  is  then  navigable,  with  some  difficulty, 
by  pmall  steamboats  for  125  miles  or  more  above  the  mouth.  The  valley  is 
generally  narrow,  and  is  not  bordered  by  a  great  breadth  of  alluvial  land,  except 
near  the  first  great  bend  or  turn  of  the  river,  where  it  breaks  through  the  moun- 
tains of  the  coast.  At  this  point  there  is  a  broad  valley  extending  far  to.  tiie 
southeast,  along  which  Indians  can  travel  to  Fort  Simpson  in  six  days. 
■  TIm!  sides  of  the  mountain  ranges  are  steep  and  rugged,  and  are  covered, 
where  then!  is  sufficient  earth,  with  a  dense  forest  of  con  ferous  trees,  the  timber 
of  which  is  thought  to  be  superior  to  that  on  the  coast  for  spars  and  other  pui-- 
poses.  The  upper  portions  of  the  high  ranges  and  peaks  are  c  ivered  with 
snow,  and  are  truly  Alpine  in  their  character. 

The  narrow  strips  of  bottom  land  on  the  sides  of  the  river,  and  the  islands 
between  the  diften!iit  channels  and  sloughs,  are  almost  all  low,  and  sei-m  to  be 
liable  tO'  occasional  inundations  The  soil  of  such  lands  is  loose  and  sandy, 
but  fertile,  and  sup|)orts  a  vigorous  growth  of  alders  and  the  cottonwood,  or  an 
allied  species  of  poplar.  This  poplar  is  abundant  and  attains  a  larg(!  size,  often 
three  feet  in  diameter.  The  wood  is  soft  and  Mght,  is  easily  wrought,  and  ie 
especially  well  adajited  for  the  interior  portions  of  cabinet  furniture.  The 
Indians  use  this  wood  for  their  canoes,  cutting  them  out  of  a  single  log. 
Immense  numbers  of  these  trees  art!  carried  down  by  the  stream,  and  are  lodged 

•iii,  l-.'V,  (171)1.) 

t  A  imrtion  of  tlic  foUowinpf  ilcscription  of  the  Stickeen  was  published  by  tho  writer  in  the 
Saciiiiiiento  Union,  California,  July  21, 18G3. 


6 


RUSSIAN   AMERICA. 


in  li(ap.s  oil  tlic  panel-barn  ami  i(»lar  Jh,  or  an;  left  as  Hiiags  in  tho  clmiiiicl, 
anchored  by  tlie  roots  and  pointing  down  stream,  as  in  Mie  Mi:<8issippi,  Tlie 
broad  fluts  at  tlic  mouth  of  the  river  arc  also  strewn  with  thesfc  trees,  and  many 
are  doubtless  carried  fir  out  into  the  sound 

My  knowledge  of  the  upper  portions  of  the  Stickeen  river  is  derived  from 
the  miners  who  came  down  from  the  mining  settlement  during  our  exploration 
of  the  river.  One  of  these  miners  was  an  old  Calif  irniaii,  and  a  luitive  of 
Vermont,  and  gave  me  much  information  which  he  had  obtained  in  lii.-<  travels 
and  sojourn  upon  the  upper  portions  of  tlie  river. 

The  head  stream  or  branch  of  the  river  is  said  to  (low  in  a  ntutlnvesterly 
course  along  the  loot  of  the  Blue  mouiitiiiMs,  receiving  many  small  tributaries 
from  the  valleys  Nearly  under  the  parallel  of  GO  degrees  it  turns  to  the  sontli- 
east,  and  for  lifly  miles  cuts  across  a  comparatively  level  country,  described  as 
a  pi^qt  plain  with  no  obstruction  to  the  vision.  The  s  tream  here  receives  a  fork 
or  branch  from  the  northwest  and  enters  a  very  mountainous  region,  and  tor 
eighty  miles  is  hemmed  in  0:1  both  sides  by  precipitous  and  overhanging  masses 
of  rock.  This  is  called  tho  Great  cafion.and  its  upper  portions  are  very  inver- 
fectly  known.  The  river  is  said  to  make-  some  very  great  bends,  which,  together 
with  the  dangers  of  the  canon,  have  been  avoided  by  the  miners.  Tliey  leave 
the  stream  and  cut  across  the  country  on  foot.  In  one  place  the  walls  approach 
so  closdy  that  the  stream  during  Hoods  has  not  room  to  pass  fru-ly,  and  the 
waters  are  dammed  up  so  as  to  produce  a  cii'  iract  some  sixty  feet  high.  Tho 
space  between  tli(i  walls  at  the  top,  where  the  snrf.ice  of  the  Hood  rushes 
through,  is  considered  to  be  only  six  feet  wide.  .Just  below  this  waterfall  a 
tributaiy  enters  from  the  southeast  and  is  known  as  th(!  South  fork,  and  still 
liiwer  down  the  valley,  the  Second  North  fork  and  the  First  North  fork  enter 
the  right  bank  from  the  northwest,  and  within  six  miles  of  each  other.  These 
two  streams  extend  far  to  the  northwest,  and  have  been  worked  for  gold. 

Near  the  mouth  of  the  First  North  fork  then-  is  (ISG3)  a  village  of  Stickeen 
Indians,  and  below  the  canon,  at  intervals  of  five  or  six  miles,  there  arc;  si-veral 
mining  camps,  known,  respectively,  as  Buck's  bar,  Carpenter's  bar,  and  Fiddler's 
bar,  down  to  Sliek's  bar  on  the  right  bank. 

From  Sink's  bar  duwnward  the  course  of  the  river  is  nearly  soutliea-*t  and 
parallel  with  the  coast.  Fifty  miles  below  the  river  canons  again  and  runs  with 
fjreat  force  through  a  narrow  gorge;,  with  vertical  precipices  on  each  side. 
This  is  known  as  the  Little  canon,  and  is  much  dreaded  by  the  In  bans  and 
those  who  ascend  the  river.  It  does  not,  however,  offer  any  great  obstacle  to 
the  passage  of  a  steamboat. 

AI)ont,  GO  miles  below  this  canon  the  river  turns  westward  and  breaks  through 
the  Coast  mountains  for  some  twenty  or  thirty  miles  to  the  month  in  the  straits 
or  sounds  between  the  islands  that  border  the  coast.  The  total  length  of  the 
river  is  estimated  at  about  300  miles.  Further  data  upon  this  point  will  be 
found  in  the  Journal. 

CLRRKNT   AM)    .\AVIG ATIO.N. 

The  velocity  and  strength  of  the  current  throughout  the  whole  length  of  this 
riTer,  except  perhaps  the  portion  iibove  the  great  canmi,  is,  perhaps,  its  most 
remarkable  feature.  Without  any  falls  or  impediments  the  current  sweeps  down 
with  great  uniformity,  and  in  most  places  is  so  swift  ami  strong  that  it  is  use- 
lesB  to  attempt  to  make  headway  against  it  with  oars,  and  wlien  the  bed  or 
banks  are  not  suitable!  for  towing  or  tracking  the  only  way  to  force  a  boat  np  is 
by  means  of  poles,  taking  advantage  always  of  tin;  least  forcible  parts  of  the 
stream.  The  line  for  towing  a  boat  should  te  from  200  to  300  feet  long.  The 
velocity  of  the  current  was  measured  at  several  places,  aild  in  tin;  portions  of  the 
river  below  the;  Little  canon  probably  averages  live  miles  per  hour,  and  in  the 
lower  portion,  Dr  for  about  30  miles  above  the  mouth,  about  four  miles  per  hour. 


>  „/ 


RUSSIAN   AMERICA.  7 

TIio  (loptli  of  the  water  U  of  course  variable,  Imt,  evon  at  low  water  is  solrlom 
le.'»H  tiian  tliree  ft!el  in  the  main  cliniiiiel.  The  hi^he^t  water,  or  nea^ou  of  the 
greatest  floods,  is  in  the  month  of  July,  when  the  snow  is  ineltintr  on  the  moun- 
tains morii  rapidly  under  the  summer  sun.  At  these  times  the  heiiyht  of  the  river, 
judfjin;;  hy  the  appearance  of  the  hanks,  does  not  appear  to  he;  very  {greatly 
increased,  prohahly  not  more  tliati  six  feet;  but  tin;  water  sjireads  out  over  the 
low  banks  and  islands,  and  the  stream  is  thus  greatly  cliaufjed  in  its  appearance 
and  in  the  form  and  direction  of  its  banks.  The  water  is  always  charf^t-d  with 
a  very  fine  li}i;ht  colored  powder  or  sediment,  so  thai  ;  is  opar|ue  and  the  ltott<»m 
of  the  stream  is  not  visible.  This  suspended  materi.ii  is  probably  derived  from 
the  glaciers,  or  may  perhaps  be  washed  down  fr  im  soft  stratiliid  formations 
along  the  sources  of  the  stream. 


N 


tir.()I,0(iV,    (JOI.M,    Mt\KKAr,>. 

Till!  motuitains  of  the  Stickeen  \  alley,  from  tin  Liiilc  canon  down  to  neir  the 
coast,  are  lormed  of  syenite  and  gi.inile,  with  some  jnctamorphic  beds  at  inter- 
vals.    The  walls  of  the  I/iltle  ciifion  an;  granite. 

At  the  mouth  of  the  river  and  below  to  the  Indian  villages  the  rocks  are  (|uite 
(Hfferent,  being  formed  of  the  gieat  saiul-'tone  and  shah;  formifion  already 
described.  The  direction  of  uplift  of  these  strata  is  al)out  north  SO'  west,  mag- 
netic. The  formation  is  some  thousands  of  feet  thick,  and  resetnl)les  the  rocks 
of  San  Francisco,  but  is  more  changed  by  metainorpiiic  action.  Tliey  are  proba- 
bly of  the  secoiulary  period.  It  appears  to  pass  into  mica-slate  just  above  the 
site  of  an  old  stockad;;  or  fort  of  the  Hudson  I5ay  Company,  where  1  found  n 
locality  of  garnets  liki'  those  of  ?.Ionroe  in  Connecticut. 

in  the  drift  of  the  river  below  the  Litth;  cauDU  there  is  an  abundance  of  (rag- 
ments  of  granite,  |  orphyry,  ami  limestone,  and  a  notable  absence  of  fragments 
of  lava,  from  which  I  conclude  that  volcanic  formitions  are  not  developtfd  to  a 
great  extent  in  the  interior. 

( f(dd  can  be  found  in  small  quantities  by  panning  the  drift  of  the  bed  .and  bars 
of  the  river.  I  almost  invariably  found  the  color,  but  in  particles  so  minute  as 
to  be  diflicult  to  see  and  more  dilHcult  to  save.  Tiiis,  of  course,  was  to  be 
expected  in  trials  of.the  sand  and  gravel  from  tin;  surface.  It  is  what  is  termed 
Hour  gold,  and  to  collect  it  would  re(|uire  blankets,  quicksilver,  and  greater  care 
ami  attention  than  is  generally  given  in  the  rapid  methods  of  C.iliforiiii.  There 
was  not  time  to  make  any  excavations  to  the  bed  rock,  where,  doubtless,  the 
coarse  gold  lies.  Very  goixl  results  can,  however,  be  obtained  in  the  layers  of 
gravel  above  it,  and  the  miners  infornu'il  nu'  that  they  seldom  attempted  to  reach 
the  bed-nick,  it  was  so  far  below  tl'e  surface.  Some  of  the  best  results  of  their 
mining  were  obtained  in  a  layer  of  grav(d  about  IS  inches  below  the  surface. 
This  IS  inches  of  gravel  is  skimmed  oft"  auil  f'nown  aside,  and  tlui  next  five  or 
six  inches  of  gravel  below  is  washed  in  cradles  or  rockers.  The  principal  min- 
ing at  Fiddler's  and  at  Car|)eiiter's  bars  in  1SG2  was  of  this  description.  One 
claim  of  :iOO  feet  square,  worked  by  two  men,  yielded  S'li.OOO;  and  the  bars  arc 
reckoned  to  yield  from  -SJ  to  -SIO  a  day  to  the  hand.  Nearly  all  tin;  bars  will 
yield  from  $1  to  SI  fiO  per  day.  The  extent  of  ])ayiiig  ground  is  much  increased 
aa  t!ie  river  falls,  .and  doubtless  the  bed  of  the  river  is  extremely  rich.  Unfortu- 
nntely  the  time  of  lowest  water  is  during  the  winter  mouths,  when  all  is  locked 
in  i  '.',  and,  of  course,  washing  is  then  impossible. 

The  gold  from  tin;  North  fork  of  the  river  is  the  coarsest  which  has  yet  been 
fouiul  or  reported  upon  the  ,Stickeen,  (ISG2-'G.'3.)  One,  lump  was  worth  S9  75. 
Even  on  this  stream  the  bed-rock  has  not  been  seen  exce|it  at  (»ne  or  two  places, 
and  it  was  believed  that  to  reach  and  work  the  gravel  upon  it,  derricks,  pumps, 
and  other  machinery  would  be  necessary.  The  miners  say  that  this  Nirtli  fork  ia 
subject  to  extensive  landslides  along  its  course,  which  bring  masses  of  earth 


8 


RUSSIAN.  AMKRICA. 


and  rocks  into  tlie  strcain  and  obstruct  it  iiiitil  tlie  f'orct'  of  accumulated  water 
above  sweeps  everytbiiig  di'an  before  it. 

1  was  impressed  in  ascending  this  river  b^'  the  absence  of  any  well-defined 
terraces  or  old  deposits  of  drift  along  the  mountain  sides  or  on  the  low  ridges. 
]No  terract!  was  seen  until  we  were  near  the  Little  cation,  where  they  are  well- 
defined  and  exteiul  for  a  mile  or  two  on  either  one  side  of  the  river  or  the  other, 
and  they  are  also  found  ..'.ove  the  canon.  'J'hey  rise  some  fifty  feet  above  the 
stream,  and  are  made  up  of  coarse,  heavy  dri  t.  If  at  such  places  the  bed-rock 
could  be  reached  above  the  level  of  the  river,  there  is  little  doubt  that  they  would 
p!iy  well  for  working.  No  favorable  hill  or  dry  diggings  have  yet  b(;en  found 
above.  An  explanation  of  their  absence  may  be  found  in  the  fact  that  the  valley 
is  so  narrow  and  the  cur-ent  .so  strong  that  all  drift  accumulations  are  swept 
away. 

Tiie  gold  wliith  has  been  brought  by  the  liuliana  from  the  'I'akoun  river 
further  north  is  coarser  than  tliat  found  upon  the  Sfickeen. 

CLIMATE. 

At  the  time  of  my  visit — the  last  part  of  the  month  of  May — the  poplars 
and  other  deciduous  trees  were  just  budding,  and  in  some  places  the  young 
leaves  had  spreiul  out.  The  nights,  thougii  cold,  were  not  frosty  ;  the  ther- 
mometer seldom  indicating  less  than  40  degrees.  It  was  quite  iiot  in  the  sun 
during  the  day,  though  in  the  shade  the  mercury  seldom  rose  above  Go  degrees. 
It  is  much  hoit'r  in  midsummer  At  Sitki,  in  the  sum;;  latitude  or  a  little  north, 
there  is  not  as  great  a  diff^'reuco  between  tin;  summer  and  wiiit(M'  as  upon  the 
Stickeen.  The  winter  at  Sitka  is  not  severe,  and  in  1862  there  was  not  a  crop 
of  ice.  The  climate  is  said  to  bu  like  a  continued  autumn.  On  the  Stickeen, 
and  in  that  interior  valley,  shut  out  from  the  inlluence  of  the  ocean  current,  the 
seaso'is  are  strongly  marked.  The  winters  are  cold,  and  the  summ  -rs  are  hot. 
The  river  closes  in  December,  freezes  over,  I  am  told,  from  its  mouth  up,  and 
it  opens  in  May.  In  the  winter  of  1SG2-'GI{  it  was  open  as  lat(!  as  December  17, 
and  in  the  spring  the  ice  broke  up  about  the  1st  of  5lay,  and  tin;  previous  year 
on  the  9th  of  May.  As  soon  as  the  warm  days  of  spring  causci  the  snows  to- 
melt,  the  river  begins  to  rise,  and  so  breaks  up  the  ice.  '/here  is  then  a  short 
season  of  rising  and  falling,  after  which  come  the  continuous  floods  of  the  hot 
months.  Very  little  rain  I'alls  during  the  summer  in  the  upper  part  of  the  val- 
ley. Little  or  nothing  was  known  in  1S63  ot  the  climate  of  the  mountain 
region  at  the  head  of  the  Stickeen.  At  the  mining  camps  at  and  near  Shek's 
bar  the  winter  is  said  to  hi'  very  severe.  Snow  commences  to  fall  in  October, 
but  is  most  abundant  in  Dec(  mbe;-,  and  covers  the  ground  to  a  depth  of  from 
four  to  fourteen  feet  or  mon;  all  winter.  In  1^G2  four  feet  of  snow  on  a  level 
fell  in  one  day.  In  Dectmber  the  mercury  sank  below  zero,  ami  in  February 
was  solid  in  the  bulb  for  niiuidays  continuously.  There  was  no  thawing  or  rain 
duiing  the  winter. 

It  is  perhaps  this  alternation  of  the  seasons  that  causes  the  timber  of  the  inte 
rior  to  be  superiitr  (according  to  report)  to  that  of  the  coast. 

FI.SII  A\U  (JA.MK. 

Salmon,  Inilibut,  and  other  good  fish  abound  at  tin"  mouth  of  the  Stickeen. 
When  th(!  salmon  ascend  the  riv-r  in  June  and  .Inly  the  Indians  follow,  and 
catch'theni  in  great  numbers.  They  sj)lit  thim  along  tlie  back,  remove  the 
backbone,  cut  them  in  long  strips,  and  dry  and  smoke  tliem.  When  well  cured 
they  are  vc.-ry  fine,  aiul  are  very  convenient  in  camp  Ducks  and  geese  may  be 
shot  on  the  ri'-er,  and  grouse  in  the  forests  of  the  shore.s.  Bears  are  plenty  in 
the  mountains,  and  the  mount.iin  sheep  or  goat  in  the  rocky  places  Ueaver 
and  otters  are  taken  in  great  numbers  by  the  Indians  of  the  Valley  and  itS' 
tributaries. 


/■ 


RUSSIAN   AMERICA. 


/ 


JOURNAL  OK  AN  EXPLOKATION  OK  THE    STICKEEN    RIVER— 1863. 

Uudfr  the  orders  of  Admiral  Popoff",  of  his  imperial  Iliigi>ian  inajepty's  navy, 
an  ex[)fdilion  for  tlio  survey  of  the  Stickeen  river  was  organized  by  Lieutenant 
Bassarguiuo,  commanding  the  corvette  llynda,  when  at  Sitka  in  1863. 

The  corvette  steamed  from  Sitha  to  a  convenient  anchorage  a  few  miles  b^low 
the  month  of  the  Stickeen  and  near  the  south  shore  of  its  broad  estuary.  The 
party  detaih'd  consisted  of  Lieutenant  Pereleshin,  Mr.  Amlreanoff,  a  llussian 
engineer  in  the  service  of  the  llussian  Am  rican  Company,  six  llussian  sailors, 
expert  oarsmen,  and  the  writer,  who  accompanied  the  party  as  a  guest  for  scien- 
tific purposes.  Tiie  commander's  gig,  if  boat  sharp  at  both  ends  and  modelled 
like  a  whale-boat,  was  selected  as  best  adapted  for  the  purpose',  and  was  fitted 
out  witli  mast  and  sail,  a  long  line  for  towing,  and  was  provisioned  for  two  weeks. 
An  Indian  named  Jack  accompanied  us  as  a  guide. 

Maif  23,  1S63. — Vorrcffe  to  Camp  \. — We  left  the  corvette  in  the  morning 
and  rowed  \\\\  the  stream,  following  the  left  or  southern  bank.  The  space  between 
the  mountains  occupied  by  the  estuary  is  apparently  from  two  to  three  miles 
wide,  and  there  are  several  eliainiels  or  moutlis  separated  by  islands  bordered  by 
extensive  sandbanks,  where  numerous  large  trees  brought  down  by  floods  have 
been  stranded.  The  mountains  on  the  south  side  come  nearly  to  the  water's 
edge.  They  are  apparently  from  1,500  to  3,000  feet  high,  and  are  heavily  tim- 
bered witli  firs  and  spruce.  The  rocks  are  granitic  and  metamorphic,  an  I  they 
project  in  long  po  nts,  at  one  of  which  we  stopped  at  noon  to  dine,  opposite  an 
island  called  Koknook  by  Jack,  our  Indian  guide. 

!Mica  slate  in  large  blocks  lay  along  the  beach,  and  several  beautiful  crystals 
of  garnet  were  picked  up.  These  are  about  the  size  of  filberts  and  closely 
resemble  the  garnet.^  found  in  similar  slate  at  Monroe,  in  Connecticut.  The 
color  is  good,  but  the  crystals  are  not  transparent  or  free;  from  flaws,  and 
therefore  have  no  va!  le  for  the  lapidary,  although  interesting  to  mineralogists. 
This  rock  shows  a  high  degree  of  metamorphism. 

One  of  these  rocky  points,  where  there  is  some  flat  land,  is  occupied  by  an 
Indian  village,  at  wliieri  we  procured  some  very  tine  smoked  salmon.  The  fish 
has  a  fine  red  color,  is  very  fat,  and  has  an  excellent  flavor. 

Beyond  Koknook  island  the  channel  narrows  rapidly  and  the  course  of  the 
stream  is  nearly  northeast  and  southwest.  Tln^  shore  on  the  north  and  west  is 
quite  low.  The  mountains  on  the  south  descend  nearly  to  the  short;  and  appear 
to  h;i  the  ends  of  ridges  trending  northwest  and  southeast.  The  princifjal 
mountain  abuts  upon  the  river  and  forms  a  conspicuous  point  about  live  miles 
abovo  the  island.  We  camped  at  this  point  at  6.30  [».  in.  The  river  appears 
to  be  not  over  200  3'ards  wide,  and  ttie  'alley  begins  to  narrow.  The  ranges 
on  the  north  side  approach  the  right  bank. 

We  gave  the  name  of  the  corvette  to  the  mtnintain  above  our  camp,  and  the 
uam(;  of  the  commander  to  the  mountain  opposite  it  on  the  right  or  north  bank. 
13oth  of  these  moniitaiiis  appear  to  be  formed  of  a  dark-colored  gneiss,  which  at 
the  camp  trends  norlhwest  fitid  southeast,  and  is  nearly  vertical.  It  is  n  meta- 
morphosed sedimentary  rock. 

Mui)  24. — Camp  1  tii  Camp  2.  -Wt;  left  camp  at  5  a.  m.  A  short  distance 
above,  and  on  the  left  bank,  there  is  an  extensive  sand-fiat  which  is  bare,  during 
low  stages  of  water.  There  is  a  belt  ol  alluvial  or  bottom  land  beyond  it,  while 
on  th(!  north  or  right  bank  the  mountain  impinges  upon  the  stream.  About  two 
miles  above  camp  the  conditions  an;  reversed  ;  the  alhrial  land  is  on  the  north 
side,  and  the  mountains  on  the  south  jut  out  into  the  river  in  a  series  of  rocky 
points,  which  the  guide  called  Stinenia.  The  rocks  are  gneiss  and  granite. 
From  this  point  there  'm  a  fine  view  of  a  glacier  desceniiing  between  the  moun- 
tains a  mile  or  two  westward.  It  has  a  high  inclination  and  a  very  rugged  and 
broken  surface.     The  sides  of  the  mountain  along  its  course  show  freshly  broken 


10 


RUSSIAN   AMERICA. 


cliffs  which  five  clearly  thft  result  of  the  eroding  action  of  the  ice.  We  desig- 
nated this  as  the  "  Popoff  gkcier"  in  honor  of  the  admiral.  The  Soynai  or 
Ice-water  river,  according  to  onr  guide,  enters  the  Stickcen  a  short  distance 
above  and  piobsibly  flows  fioiu  the  glac  er.  The  point  of  land  between  the  Soy- 
nai and  the  Stiekeen  appears  to  be  formed  chiefly  of  coarse  river  drift,  with 
probablv  considerable  debris  from  the  glacier,  and  it  contains  gold.  It  had  been 
marked  off  into  claims  by  some  miners  who  had  passed  np  the  river  in  Indian 
canoes.  This  gold  i>  said  to  be  (|uite  line  and  is  in  thin  scales.  Another  stream, 
called  the  Ketili,  enters  on  the  right  bank  a  short  distance  above,  and  a  brook, 
the  Sliuktusay  flows  in  nearly  opposite  it. 

The  course  of  the  Stickeen  for  sevetd  miles  above  is  nearly  east  and  west, 
and  there  are  no  rapids  or  imjiedinients  to  navigation  by  vessels  of  light  draught. 
There  are  several  long  sand-bars  and  low  Lslands  on  the  south  side  of  the  m  tin 
channel.  On  the  north  the  banks  are  low,  and  the  mountains  recede  from  the 
river  towards  the  northwest. 

The  deciduous  trees  along  the  bottom  lands  are  just  budding  out,  and  the  air 
during  the  day  is  mild  and  spring-like,  although  there  is  yet  some  snow  remain- 
ing along  th(!  banks  on  the  north  side,  and  on  the  low  bars  that  have  been  above 
water  during  the  winter. 

About  four  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Soynai,  the  river  turns  suddenly  to  the 
north  and  then  to  the  northwest.  At  the  bend,  tiie  mountains  on  the  south  side 
rise  abruptly  from  tiie  water,  and  are  composed  of  syenitic  granite. 

\V(;  camped  a  short  distance  above,  on  the  rjght  bank,  and  nearly  opposite 
the  mituth  of  a  stream  wliich  enters  the  Stickeeii  from  the  soutiieast.  It  is 
called  Keieie  by  our  guide.  Another  stream,  or  a  brancii  c»f  the  first,  enters 
about  a  mile  below,  and  was  designated  as  the  Kekkikaeie.  The  grouiid  at 
our  camp  was  low,  and  formed  of  tlie  alhivium  of  the  river,  thickly  overgrown 
with  alders  ami  shrubs. 

This  flat  extends  for  a  considerable  distance  to  the  west,  and  back  to  the 
mountains.  The  guide  says  that  there  is  a  lake,  or  large  pond,  at  the  foot  of 
the  mountains,  when^  there  is  an  abundance  (»f  geese  and  ducks.  The  river 
abounds  with  the  finest  salmon. 

Maij  2') — Camp  2  to  Camp  3. — We  left  camp  at  (5  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
and  rowed  lor  some  distincc;  temperature  of  the  air  44\  The  lirsi  pnnninetJt 
rocky  point  is  formed  by  th(!  end  of  the  rangi;  on  the  north,  which  hert>  ter- 
minates the  belt  of  bottom  land.  Tlie  rocks  are  gneiss  and  mica  slate,  with  the 
etritification  nearly  vertical,  and  trending  northwest  by  west.  This  point  ia 
well  adapted  for  a  settlement  or  supply  station,  as  there  is  a  good  landing,  and 
it  is  sufficiently  elevated  to  be  secure  from  (looJs.  Tin;  Indian  calls  this  point, 
and  the  mountain  altove  it,  Kokaydai. 

From  our  camp  this  morning,  and  along  the  river  below  it,  there  is  a  fine  view 
of  a  ridge  of  ihi;  mountains,  with  the  most  remarkable  serrations  and  sharply 
cut  peaks  of  rock,  looking  like  tiie  sharp  points  of  crystals  penetrating  the  air. 

There  appears  to  be  a  branch  of  the  river  just  oppositi;  Kokaydai  Point,  and 
a  broad  opening,  extending  far  to  the  southeast,  indicates  a  v.alley  in  that  direc- 
tion. Thi-(  i»  distinctly  seen  about  thretf  mdes  higher  up  the  river,  whin'c  a  stream 
enters,  called  the  Scoot,  but  which  may  be  another  mouth  or  branch  of  the 
str(!am  which  drains  the  valley.  Tin;  Indian  describes  it,  as  nearly  as  I  could 
understand  him,  as  a  very  Inrgi!  stream,  (t.vtendinga  great  distance.  'I'he  valley 
affords  fine  hunting  and  fishing,  and  has  many  Indians  who  trade  with  the 
Stick  Indians.  Tliis  valley  affords  a  direct  route  to  Fort  Simpson,  and  an 
Indian  can  traverse  the  distance  in  six  days. 

In  un  abrupt  point  of  rocks  jutting  into  the,  river  half  a  milo  below  the  Scoot, 
u  quartz  vein,  sonje  ten  inches  thick,  was  observed.  The  rocks  are  hornblendic 
and  very  dark-colored.  The  end  of  a  magnifictint  glacier  is  visible  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  river,  n  few  miles  above. 


• 


RUSSIAN   AMERICA. 


11 


At  a  point  a  sliort  flistance  above  tlio  Scoot  thi-re  is  an  Indian  village.  These 
Indians  are  quite  different  from  the  Koloshes  of  the  coast,  and  are  evidently  of 
the  great  Ohippewyan  fimily.  They  offered  skins  of  the  sable  for  sale  or  barter, 
and  had  several  fine  skins  of  cubs  i»f  black  bear  recently  killed. 

The  glacier  above  presents  a  splendid  appearance  in  the  snnlighi,  and  extends 
for  about  two  miles  along  the  stream.  The  background  is  formed  by  beautiful 
snow-covered  peaks,  from  between  which  the  glacier  issues,  but  its  source  can- 
not be  seen.  The  slope  of  the  ghicier  is  very  gentle,  and  the  vast  body  of  ice 
appears  to  be  unbroken  until  it  readies  the  valley  of  the  river,  where  it  breaks 
down  in  massive  ledges  and  pinnacles  of  the  purest  crystal.  The  foreground 
along  the  s  ream  consists  of  an  ancient  moraine  now  covered  with  trees,  among 
which  willows  and  poplars  are  conspicuous  in  their  delicate  green  foliage  of 
spring.  Some  very  larg(^  blocks  of  granite  standing  in  the  river  bear  witness  to 
the  vast  transporting  power  of  ice  and  to  a  much  gri  ater  extension  of  thisglacier 
in  former  periods, 

I'join  this  part  of  the  river  a  line  of  high  and  rugged  peaks  is  visible  on  the 
right  or  (astern  side  of  the  valley,  and  at  a  considerable  distance  from  the 
stream. 

'ihe  accumulations  at  the  foot  of  the  glacier  have  evidently  pushed  the  river 
outward,  and  they  have  acted  as  a  dam  to  the  waters,  which  above  the  moraine 
are  quite  deep  and  ilow  smoothly.  We  encamped  at  S  o'clock  on  a  gravelly 
beach,  diagonally  opposite  tlm  glacier. 

Mnif  2^\.  —C(-.mj)  .']  lo  Cdiiip  4 — We  left  our  camp  at  iJ  o^clock  in  the 
morning,  and  found  the  ascent  of  the  river  more  diflicult  than  it  had  been,  owing 
to  the  increased  velocity  of  the  current  and  the  irregularity  of  the  banks.  The 
stream  turns  more  to  the  west  and  is  quite  crooked.  The  valley  is  narrower; 
large  poplar  trees  are  abundant  along  the  banks,  and  many  that  have  been 
u{)roote(i  by  the  undermining  acton  ot  the  stream  are  stranded  upon  the  sand- 
bars and  along  the  shoies. 

At  9  o'clock  we  stopj)ed  to  rest  the  men,  who  were  fatigued  with  the  incessant 
hard  laltor  of  rowing  and  tracking  tlie  boat.  Temperature  ot  the  air  63°  Fah. 
ill  the  shade.  The  sun  shone  out  bright  and  was  quite  hot.  We  came  in  sight 
of  anotlM-r  and  very  beautiful  glacier,  flowing  from  a  valley  on  the  west.  It  is 
remaikal)Ie  for  its  symmetry,  regular  slope,  thickness  oftheice,  and  for  the  con- 
trast wiih  the  dense  forest  on  each  sidii  of  it,  and  with  the  belt  of  deciduous 
trees  upon  ihe  bottom-land  in  front.  In  the  extreme  background  there  is  a 
magnificent  angular  peak  shrouded  with  snow. 

The  drift,  pehbles,  and  rocks  of  the  river  bed  at  this  {»oint,  and  a  short  dis- 
tance above,  consi-t  chiefly  of  limestone,  porphyry,  and  jasper,  with  some 
ma-ses  of  (juartz. 

'J'here  are  numerous  bends  and  crooks  in  the  stream,  miuI  an  appearance  ot 
anotiier  channel  to  the  ri>;ht,  on  the  other  side;  of  low  land,  covered  by  trees. 
A  stream  called  the  CHlch-u-la-noo  enters  on  tiie  left  bank.  After  passing  an 
abrupt  bend  in  I  lie  liver,  wlim-e  tie:;  current  was  very  swift,  we  encamped  at 
7.2;")  p.  m.  on  Ihi' right  hank. 

Mdij  27. —  Ciunp  4  to  camp  !). — Left  camp  at  7  a.  m.  Morning  bright  and 
clear.  The  rock  at  camp  is  a  compact  while  granite,  «;vitleiitly  a  metamorphic 
rock.  The  trees  are  very  large,  and  liiive  an  abundance  of  heavy  green  moss 
upon  them.  From  this  part  ot  the  river  there  is  a  splendid  panorama  of  high 
jieaks  and  mountains.  'I'he  current  is  swift,  and  tlit'it^  are  many  bars  and 
chi  •  els.  Till!  day  was  (juite  warm,  and  we  sto|(ped  to  rest  and  dine  at  a 
beautiful  point  where  some  United  States  miners  had  made  a  camp  in  1862. 
About  ()U  men  spent  tiie  winter  here,  and  had  a  store  or  stock  of  provisimis  for 
sale  to  the  miners,  who  had  taken  claim-'  in  tin;  vicinity.  One  of  their  number 
died  of  small-pox,  and  was  buried  at  the  foot  of  one  of  the  largest  spruces.  The 
scenery  at  this  part  of  the  river  is  very  picturesque.     The  rocks  at  the  pohitare 


12 


RUSSIAN   AMERICA 


metamorphosed  sandstones  and  shales  and  pass  into  gncif^s.  The  drift  and  sand- 
bars of  the  river  contain  gold,  but  no  very  great  amount  of  work  appears  to  have 
been  done.  Wc  camped  on  the  left  bank  of  the  river,  above  tiie  bend,  and  upon  a 
low  bar.  A  mountain  behind  us,  to  the  northeast,  bears  tin;  name  of  ILinook. 
A  small  stream  of  clear,  cool  water  enters  a  short  distance  below.  I  found  the 
"color"  of  gold  herein  the  surface  gravel,  and  , Jack  shot  a  wild  goose  for  supper. 

May  28. —  Camp  5  to  camp  6. — A  mountain  in  view  from  camp,  and  which 
is  covered  with  perpetual  snow,  is  called  Taouk-linia,  and  the  Indian  describes 
a  "big  water"  on  the  east  which  he  calls  Ska-tini,  and  says  that  the  Indians 
catch  large  quantities  of  salmon  there  and  dry  tliera.  We  stopped  for  half  an 
hour  to  lash  the  provisions  to  the  seats  of  the  boat,  so  that  in  the  event  of  cap- 
sizing they  would  not  all  be  lo.>it.  Each  man  also  took  a  small  quantity  of 
bread  and  dried  salmon  in  his  pockets.  We  were  nearly  capsized  three;  times 
during  the  morning.  The  current  was  so  strong  and  swift  that  it  was  not  pf)s- 
sible  to  make  any  headway  by  rowing,  and  the  boat  could  not  be  got  up  some 
of  the  swift  places  except  by  poling  or  tracking.  The  sailors  have  been  in  the 
cold  water  up  to  their  waists,  part  of  the  time,  pulling  the  boat.  We  passed 
another  glacier  coming  down  from  the  mo<nitains  on  the  Avest.  It  is  called 
Ka-ra-hai  by  Jack.  The  shore  opposite  to  it  is  rocky,  and  a  reef  of  granite 
projects  into  the  stream. 

We  made  v  /o  trials  of  the  velocity  of  the  current  to-day  by  timing  the  pas- 
sage of  bottles  and  sticks  thrown  into  the  stream  floating  down  with  the  current 
over  a  measured  distance.  This  showed  a  mean  velocity  of  5  20  miles  per 
hour.  We  encamped  upon  a  sandy  bank  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  and  a 
short  distance  above  the  glacier.  The  long  twilight  is  interesting,  it  being  quite 
light  even  after  9  o'clock  in  the  evening. 

May  29. —  Camp  G  to  camp  7. — Found  some  coarse  drift  along  the  river  in 
which  I  obtained  the  color  of  gold  upon  washing  in  a  pan.  ^la^ses  of  white 
limestone  occur  in  that  drift.  The  course  of  the  river  is  crooked,  and  there  are 
many  bars  aiul  side  channels.  Camped  in  a  bend  of  the  river  upon  the  right 
bank  of  one  of  the  channels  (probably  upon  an  islatul)  and  took  numerous 
bearing*"  by  compass  to  pominent  peaks.  A  line  conical  mountain  bears  north 
17  east. 

May  yO. — Camp  7  to  Ccrgaye/  rapid  and  hark. — At  the  previous  camp  I 
observed  trees  of  the  white  birch  for  the  first  time  upon  the  river.  At  this 
camp  we  saw  the  nest  of  a  bald-headed  eagle  in  a  cottonwood  tree,  and  found 
the  grave  of  an  unknown  white  man  whose  body  had  been  picked  up  on  the 
shore  and  buried  by  some  miners  who  had  ascended  the  river  a  year  before. 
Beavers  are  abundant  in  this  vicinity  ;  their  trails  led  i.i  various  directions  over 
the  bottom-land,  and  many  small  trees,  over  three  inches  in  diameter,  had  been  cut 
down  by  them.  At  camp,  and  above,  gold  was  found  on  trial  in  t.ie drift  along 
the  shore.  This  drift  is  quite  coarse  and  heavy,  and  consists  of  syenite,  por- 
phyry, and  limestone.  The  appearance  of  the  banks  is  such  as  to  lead  me  to 
conclude  that  the  river  is  not  subject  to  great  floods.  The  marks  of  high  water 
in  favorable  places  do  not  indicate  a  total  rise  of  over  five  feet  above  the  pres- 
ent level.  We  were  now  approaching  the  much-dnNided  canon,  where  the 
whole  volume  of  the  stream  flows  through  a  narrow  rocky  gorge,  and  is  thrown 
into  such  eddies  and  whirlpools  that  many  Indian  canoes  have  been  capsized 
and  carried  down. 

A  fine  conical  mountaiM  upon  the  east  side  r'" 'he  river  has  been  visible  for  a 
great  diatanci!,  and  marks  the  position  of  the  iv/wer  end  of  the  gorge  through 
which  the  river  has  broken  its  way.  We  called  this  "  Cone  mountain,"  and  it 
is  BO  indicated  u[)Ou  the  map.  Some  of  the  ridges  which  (ixtend  from  it  pro- 
ject upon  tlie  river  and  are  composed  of  granite. 

We  were  two  hours  and  a  half  in  passing  the  canon.  The  sides  are  formed 
of  pr£ci[)itous  clifls  of  gr.inito  roughly  broken  out,  and  tlie  water  rushes  between 


RUSSIAN    AMERICA. 


13 


tliem  with  great  force,  boiliii};  and  whirling  as  at  Ilell-gate  near  New  York, 
when  the  ti<le  is  (lowing  rapidly.  On  the  north  side,  for  a  pirt  of  the  way,  there 
is  a  reverse  current  setting  up  stream,  of  which  we  took  advantage  in  passing 
through.  Towards  the  upper  end  some  of  us  landed  upon  projecting  points  of 
rock  and  helped  to  tow  the  boat. 

The  stream  above  the  cafion  is  much  wider  and  flows  quietly  between  terraced 
banks.  It  is  evident  that  the  rocky  contracted  channel  of  the  canon  has  acted 
as  a  dam,  setting  back  the  waters  of  the  river,  and  at  some  former  period  caus- 
ing them  to  .spread  out  over  the  country.  The  terraces  are  most  distinct  upon 
the  south  bank,  and  are  composed  of  coarse  river  drift  and  are  well  wooded. 
A  high  range  of  mountains,  with  snow  upon  the  upper  portion,  extend  behind 
these  terraces.  On  the  opposite  side  there  is  a  rough  and  broken  range  which 
appears  to  extend  back  of  Cone  mountain.  To  this  range,  or  perhaps  to  the 
principal  peak,  tin;  Indian  gives  the  name  Sa-kai-na. 

After  par'sing  the  terraces  and  the  quiet  portion.of  the  river  opposite  to  them, 
we  reached  a  dangerous  rapid,  where  the  main  current  rushes  over  and  among 
large  rocks  and  boulders.  The  men  were  out  towing,  and  in  attempting  to  return 
to  the  boat,  one  named  C<'rgayef  was  swept  from  his  feet  and  drowned  without 
our  b(  iiig  able  to  reach  him.  Tiiis  sad  event  put  an  end  to  our  attempt  to  ascend 
to  Shek's  bar,  where  some  miners  wen;  at  work,  and  after  landing  and  holding 
services,  according  to  the  forms  of  the  Greek  cluirch,  we  prepared  to  descend  the 
river. 

May  31. —  Camp  ahorc  the  Lillle  ca/ion  to  camp  opposite  the  glacier. — We 
left  camp  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  on  our  return.  T(  mperature  of  the 
air  44^.  In  half  an  hour  we  had  reached  the  lower  end  of  the  canon  and  passed 
safely  through  it  without  difficulty.  We  found  at  once  a  very  great  difference 
between  a>eending  and  descending  the  stream,  fo»  we  passed  in  a  few  hours 
over  the  di.-'tance  which  it  had  taken  us  days  to  overcome. 

At  9''  25'"  we  passed  camp  7,  and  camp  G  at  10''  So"',  camp  f.  at  12''  10'", 
and  at  12''  35'"  reached  American  Point  and  stopped  for  dinner.  Leaving  this 
place  at  2''  35'",  we  passed  camp  4  at  3''  41'",  and  rested  there  to  see  Indiana 
until  4''  20'".  At  8''  35'"  we  stopped  to  camp  nearly  opposite  the  south  end  of 
the  second  glaci(>r.  We  had,  however,  stopped  to  explore  the  end  of  this  gla- 
cier and  to  see  some  remarkable  hot  springs  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river, 
which  occupied  about  an  hour.  We  had  thus  ace  implished  the  distance  from 
the  upper  end  of  the  canon  down  to  this  glacier  in  nine  hours  and  five  minutes; 
and  if  we  assume  the  mean  velocity  as  five  miles  per  hour  the  distance  is  a  little 
over  45  miles. 

The  glacier  was  exceedingly  interesting  and  presented  all  the  usual  phenom- 
ena of  glaciers. ''^  Two  or  more  terminal  moraines  protect  it  from  the  direct 
action  of  the  stream.  What  at  first  appeared  as  a  range  of  ordinary  hills  along 
th(i  river,  proved  on  landing  to  be  an  ancient  terminal  moraine,  crescent-shaped, 
and  covered'with  a  forest.  It  extends  the  full  length  of  the  front  of  the  glacier. 
Tin;  followii  g  extract  from  my  notes  will  answer  for  it  description  of  the  end 
of  this  ghi'.'.er. 

We  found  the  bank  composed  of  large  angular  blocks  of  granite  mingled  with 
smaller  fragments  and  sand.  It  is  an  outer  and  older  moraine,  separated  from 
a  second  one  by  a  belt  of  marsh  land,  overgrown  with  alders  and  grass  and 
interspersed  with  ponds  ol'  wat<'r.  Crossing  this  low  space  we  clambered  up 
the  loose  granitic  debris  of  the  inner  moraine,  which  is  quite  bare  of  vegetation 
and  has  a  rect-ntly  formed  appearance.  These  hills  are  from  20  to  40  feet  high, 
and  form  a  continuous  line  parallel  with  the  outer  and  ancicMit  moraine.  ^  From 
their  tops  we  had  a  full  view  of  the  ice  cliff's  of  the  end   fif  the  {rl.icier.  ri^'illg 

*An  ai'ticio  describing  this  pim-ii'i'  was  publisliod  by  ilio  wriier  ui  Aiiiuiii.'itu  juhhhii  ut' 
Kc'iiMU'o  uud  Arts,  voluuio  XLIV",  July,  ls07,  uud  also  in  tbo  Sucrttuiento  Uuiou  tor  July 
VJl,  1803. 


14 


RUSSIAN   AMERICA. 


before  us  like  a  wall,  but  separated  from  the  moraine  by  a  second  belt  of  marsh 
and  ponds.  Here,  however,  there  were  no  plants  or  trees.  It  was  a  scene  of 
utter  desolation.  Great  blocks  of  granite  lay  piled  in  confusion  among  heaps  of 
sand  (sand-cones)  or  were  perched  upon  narrow  columns  of  ice  (glacier  tables) 
apparently  ready  to  topple  over  at  the  slightest  touch.  Tlie  edges  of  great 
masses  of  ice  could  be  seen  around  pools  of  water,  but  most  of  the  surface  was 


hidden  by  a  deposit  of  mud,  gravel  and  broken  rock.  It  was  evident,  however, 
that  all'this  was  upon  a  foundation  of  ice,  for  hero  and  there  it  was  uplifted, 
appiircntly,  in  great  masses,  leaving  chasms  filled  with  mud  and  water.  Over 
this  fearful  and  dangerous  place  we  crossed  to  the  firmer  and  comniratively 
uubrokcn  elope  of  ice  at  the  foot  of  the  bliiflF,  and  afterward  had  to  climb  over 
Buow  and  ico  only,  in  the  attempt  to  reach  the  top  of  the  glacier.     From  below, 


■V 
a 

B 


f 


RUSSIAN   AMERICA. 


15 


it  had  nppeared  to  us  to  bo  quite  possible  to  accompli?>h  tliia,  if  we  To'Iowed  the 
least  broiicn  part  of  the  Hh)pe,  but  it  proved  to  be  difficult,  and  finally  impossi- 
Me.  Fissures  which  cnuld  not  be  seen  from  a  short  distance  were  met  at  inter- 
vals, some  of  them  being  so  widfi  that  we  were  forced  to  turtt  aside.  As  we 
ascended,  the  crevasses  were  more  numerous  but  were  generally  filled  with  hard 
enow,  to  which  we  occasionally  trusted.     The  surface  soon  became  precipitous 


/  ^. 


o 

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and  broken  into  irregular  stair  like  blocks  with  smooth  sides,  and  so  large  that 
it  was  impossilile  to  make  our  way  over  them  without  ladders  or  tools  to  cut  a 
foothold.  Here  we  turned  and  enjoyed  the  sight  of  this  great  expanse  of  ice, 
broken  into  such  enormous  blocks  and  ledges.  The  sun  illuminated  the  cre- 
vasses with  the  most  beautiful  aquamarine  tints,  passing  into  a  deep  sea-bluo 
where  they  were  narrow  and  deep.    In  one  direction  the  ice  presented  the 


yA^ 


16 


RUSSIAN   AMERIC;i. 


remarkable  jippcarance  of  a  succeaaion  of  cones  or  pyramids  with  curved  sides. 
In  the  opposite  direction  and  at  the  same  level  the  ontlincs  were  totally  differ- 
ent, showing  merely  a  snccossion  of  terraces  or  steps  inclined  inward  toward 
the  glacier  and  I'foken  by  longitudinal  crevasses.  The  annexed  sketches  were 
made  from  this  point  of  view.  No.  1  is  taken  lookinjj  up  the  river,  over  the 
end  of  the  glacier,  and  shows  the  pyramids  of  ice.  Tlie  line  of  ponds  and  the 
two  moraines  are  seen  at  the  base,  and  the  river  on  the  extreme  right.  No.  2 
shows  the  appearance  of  the  glacier  in  the  opposite  d'roction.  A  broad  fissure 
between  one  level  of  the  ice  and  the  next  is  filled  with  snow. 

It  is  evident  that  this  glacier  breaks  down  in  a  series  of  great  steps  or  ledges 
along  the  greater  part  of  its  I'roni,.  These  steps  rise  for  20  or  30  feet  one  above 
the  other,  and  thus  produce  a  stair  like  ascent,  while  at  the  same  time  the  numer- 
ous parallel  fissures  at  right  angles  break  the  surface  into  rectangular  blocks, 
which  on  the  side  exposed  to  the  sun  soon  become  worn  into  pyramids  and 
cones.     The  diilerence  of  outline  in  opposite  directions  is  thus  explained. 

1  was  inclined  to  regard  the  melting  action  of  the  water  of  the  river  as  the 
cause  of  this  abrupt  breaking  off  of  the  end  of  the  glacier.  There  may,  how- 
ever, be  a  sudden  break  in  the  rock  foundations  at  this  point,  so  as  to  produce 
an  ice-cascade.  The  following  section  will  perhaps  give  a  clearer  idea  of  tiie 
manner  in  which  the  glacier  breaks  down. 


r- 


h. 


Section  of  end  of  glacier. 

One  or  more  streams  descend  under  the  glacier,  and  reach  the  river  at  differ- 
ent places.  The  rushing  and  roaring  sound  was  rather  startling  at  some  of  the 
crevasses. 

Judging  from  the  number  of  loose  blocks  of  rock  at  the  foot  of  the  glacier, 
the  upper  surface  must  be  strewn  with  them,  but  this  could  not  be  verilied  by 
observation.  Time  did  not  permit  a  more  extended  examination.  There  would 
be  little  difficulty  in  gaining  the  surface  of  the  glacier  from  the  side,  and,  per- 
haps, at  some  other  paints  along  its  front,  it  was  impossible  to  get  our  Indian 
guide  to  accompany  us.  Tiiey  have  a  tradition  of  the  loss  of  one  of  their  chiefs 
upon  this  glacier. 

The  ancient  terminal  moraine  of  this  glacier  is  significant  of  an  amelioration 
of  the  climate.  It  is  also  interesting  to  note  the  effect  which  tliis  accumulation 
of  materials  from  the  glacier  has  had  upon  the  river.  It  has  acted  as  a  dam  for 
the  waters,  setting  them  back  in  the  valley  for  some  distance. 

Only  a  short  distance  below  the  point  where  the  ice-cold  water  from  the  melt- 
ing t)f  the  glacier  enters  the  Stickeen  there  is  a  small  but  deep  stream  of  clear 
water  ent(!ring  from  the  opposite  side.  We  turned  the  boat  up  this  stream  for 
about  100  yards  and  found  the  water  (|uite  warm,  having  a  pleasant  temperature 
for  bathing.  Higher  up,  the  stream  divides,  one  brancli  comes  from  the  moun- 
tain and  is  clear  and  cold,  the  other  is  hot,  and  rises  from  a  group  of  springs 
near  by.  The  vegetation  around  was  remarkably  green  and  luxuriant,  and 
there  appeared  to  be  a  considerable  area  of  heated  ground.  By  covering  these 
springs  with  a  glass  house,  one  could  have  a  tropical  climate  inside,  all  the  year, 
and  enjoy  the  beauties  of  tropical  vegetation  in  full  sight  of  the  clilFs  of  pure 
ice  directly  opposite.  These  hot  springs  exhibit  tiie  not  unusual  phenomenon 
of  a  luxuriant  growth  of  conferva;  in  the  midst  of  the  hottest  water. 

June  1. — From  the  glar.vir  to  the  corvette, — The  temperature  of  the  air  at 


njMWiH 


RUSSIAN   AMKRICA. 


17 


our  camp  on  the  bank  of  tlio  river  was  43°  F.  at  11  p.  m.,  (May  31.)  At  7 
o'clock  in  the  inorning  the  mercury  stood  at  45<^,  which  was  the  temperature  of 
the  river  water  also. 

Our  Indian  guide,  Jack,  could  not  be  found  this  morning ;  he  had  (juietly 
run  away  during  the  night,  fearing,  periiaps,  that  we  would  hold  him  in  some 
way  responsible  for  the  loss  of  the  sailor  Ccrgaycf.  We  were  sorry  to  have 
him  part  with  us  in  this  way,  for  we  felt  grateful  for  his  untiring  and  faithful 
efforts  to  assist  us  in  the  undertaking,  and  we  highly  appreciated  his  skill  in  the 
management  of  the  boat  in  difficult  |)laces. 

We  left  at  8//.  21tn.  a.  m  ,  and  passed  our  first  camp  at  4/t.  37»j.p.  m.,  having  been 
detained  two  hours  and  nine  minutes  oi\  the  way.  At  6  p.  m.  we  reached  the 
mouth  of  the  river,  and  at  7  p.  m.  were  alongside  of  the  corvette.  We  had  been 
in  motion  for  eight  and  a  half  hours,  at  an  estimated  rate  of  four  miles  per  hour, 
giving  the  distance  as  34  miles  (approximately)  from  the  anchorage  to  the 
glacier. 

The  total  time  occupied  in  descending  the  stream,  exclusive  of  stops,  was  17 
hours  and  ."Jo  miinites,  in  which  we  accomplished  a  distance  of  80  miles,  approxi- 
mately, which  had  required  eight  days  of  hard  exertion  to  overcome  in  ascend- 
ing against  the  current. 

Distance  along  the  Stickecn  rir>erhij  estimates  obtained,  chiefly  from  the  mineis 
who  came  down  from  Shek's  bar  to  the  mouth  of  the  river  in  May,  1863. 

Miles. 

Mouth  of  the  river  to  the  Little  canon 75  to  100 

Lower  cafion  to  first  north  fork  of  river 20 

Lower  canon  to  Shek's  bar 50 

Shek's  bar  to  Upper  or  Long  canon 20 

Mouth  of  Long  canon  to  first  north  fork 16 

First  north  fork  to  second  north  fork 6 

Length  of  canon 80 

Head  of  canon  to  the  Blue  mountains 50 

Length  of  river  along  Blue  mountains* 100 

ESTIMATE  OF  LENGTH  OF  THE  RIVER. 

Mouth  of  the  river  to  Little  canon 75 

Little  canon  to  Shek's  bar 50 

Shek's  bar  to  Upper  caQon j 20 

Length  of  cafion 80 

Upper  I  nd  of  canon  to  Blue  mountains 50 

Along  and  in  the  Blue  mountains* ; 100 

Estimated  length  of  river 375 


*  It  ia  tliuught  that  the  length  of  stream  nluiig  the  Blue  mountains  is  uvcrestimuted. 
H.  Ex.  Doc.  177— Part  2 2 


18 


RUSSIAN   AltfEBICA. 


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RUSSIAN   AMERICA. 


19 


List  of  geographical  names  obtained  from  the  Indian  guide  Jack,  in  ascending  the  Stickren 

river. 


■1' 


Indian  name. 


Kok-nook  

Ka-t6-t6 

Tas-a-kili 

Scoot 

K6-ti-li 

Shuk-tii-96 

Soyn-ai 

Ki-ka-he 

Tuk-i-snook  — 
Klitch-a-ta-noo 

Koosh 

Tiet-lia 

Sca-ti-ni 

Ka-ra-kai 

Sak-ai-ua 

Klip-ko88 

Kak-wan 

Sti-nc-uia 

Touk-ti-aia 

Ha-nook 

Sha-stets-sa  — 

Shi-ton-i 

Su-8un-i 

How 


Objects  to  which  the  name  was  applied. 


Island  at  the  mouth  of  the  river. 

Point. 

River. 

River. 

River. 

River. 

River. 

River. 

Point. 

River. 

Creek  and  waterfall. 

A  tine  mountain  peak. 

"Big  water." 

Glacier. 

Mountain. 

Waterfall, 

Point. 

Point. 

Mountain. 

Mountain. 

River  of  ioe-cold  water. 

The  long-leafed  spruce. 

The  short-leafed  spruce. 

The  hemlock  tree. 


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